Saudi Ritz reopens after stint as gilded prison
riyadh — Riyadh’s Ritz-Carlton Hotel reopened on Sunday, more than three months after it was converted into a gilded prison for members of Saudi Arabia’s business and political elite detained in an anti-corruption purge.
The gates of the luxury hotel, where US President Donald Trump stayed during his state visit last year, had been shuttered and patrolled by black-uniformed royal guard units while dozens of princes, former ministers and business tycoons were interrogated inside.
The detainees were removed from the hotel two weeks ago, most released after cutting a deal with the authorities or being exonerated, an apparent sign that the corruption investigation was winding down.
A handful of smart-suited businessmen, forced to decamp to other hotels since November, returned to the Ritz on Sunday. “It’s an honour (to be back),” said one foreign consultant as he waited for a luxury car to take him to work.
He said the purge had not left any trace on the 492-room hotel where the lowest rate is 2,439 riyals ($650) a night.
“You forget about it as soon as you’re in your room and you get lost in your own bubble.”
The hotel’s opulent lobby appeared normal. Uniformed waiters milled below crystal chandeliers as acoustic Arabic music filtered through speakers and incense wafted from a gilt burner.
Ten days before the purge began, the Ritz hosted an international business conference where Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke onstage and snapped selfies with admirers. Some participants later ended up as detainees.
The attorney general has said 56 people remain in custody. They are believed to have been moved to prison after refusing to admit wrongdoing and may end up in court.
Ahmed Al Safer, a Yemeni-American businessman who regularly stays at the Ritz, stopped in on Sunday to have tea with friends.
Asked if the purge had affected the hotel’s reputation, the businessman said: “Right now it’s famous. Everyone will visit just to take a picture.” —